Overhead and Under Foot, Armstrong Products Are Winners at the Summer Olympics in Beijing

August 7 - The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, are taking place in some of the most extraordinary sporting venues ever built.
Armstrong flooring and ceiling products are getting in the games, too, playing important design and performance positions
in 11 Olympic venues, including the Bird’s Nest – the innovative main arena – and the aquatic centre, nicknamed the Water
Cube. In all, 140,600 square meters of Armstrong products cover floors and ceilings of the Olympic buildings. That’s equivalent
to 112 Olympic-size swimming pools.

The Bird’s Nest and the Water CubeTwo of the most notable buildings – the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube – are getting media attention because of their original
design. The landmark National Stadium, dubbed the Bird’s Nest, is the main arena for the Games. It represents the traditional
Chinese relationship with nature combined with the contemporary spirit of this year’s Olympics. Inside the Bird’s Nest, 100,000
spectators will witness the Games’ opening and closing ceremonies, track and field competitions and soccer matches, and walk
on Armstrong flooring.

Designers considered many flooring materials for the Bird’s Nest main lobby. Linoleum excelled in both fire and environmental performance. Armstrong DLW linoleum won the job because of our reputation for quality and service excellence. Due to very
tight timelines, it took outstanding global teamwork to meet the project’s delivery requirements.

The futuristic National Aquatics Centre, called the Water Cube, looks as if it is covered in semi-transparent, blue bubbles.
The €100 million, 50,000 square meter structure, called “one of the most significant sports venues in the world” by Zheng
Fang, a key architect for the building, features three Armstrong products.

Armstrong flooring and ceiling products are installed in the Water Cube offices and passageways. Armstrong DLW linoleum was
chosen here, too, after tests for performance and aesthetics. Armstrong Dune ceilings* and MicroLook suspension grid also
beat the competition based on the system’s excellent humidity resistance, acoustics, overall quality and 15-year warranty.

Other Notable Olympic Venues with Armstrong ProductThe Basketball Gymnasium was built with environmental conservation in mind. Armstrong DLW linoleum, made from renewable raw
materials, fit the bill. Three of the unusual-looking building’s seven levels are built underground for thermal efficiency.
Low-energy LED lights and a rainwater recycling system were installed to conserve energy and water.The Qingdao Olympic Sailing Centre, the National Convention Centre and the Beijing Olympic Broadcast Centre have installed
thousands of square feet of Armstrong building products as well, including ANF* and Classic Lite ceilings* and Peakform grid.
These HumiGuard-protected products perform well in areas with high humidity.

Note: Press Release issued by Armstrong China. * These products are available for Asian markets only.